OF ORNAMENTAL ANNUALS. 
107 
7.—SILENE ARMERIA, Lin. LOBEL’S CATCH-FLY. 
Synonymes. —Cucubalus fasciculatus, Lam. ; Wild Sweet William. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot. t. 1398, and our fig. 4, in Plate 19. 
Variety. —S. A. 2 ; alba, Dec. Flowers white. 
Specific Character. —Plant quite smooth, glaucous. Stem 
branched. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, rather cordate at the base. Flowers 
in corymbose panicles. Calyx long, clavatcd. Petals obcordatc, 
crowned.—(G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —A well-known flower, which, without much beauty, has kept its place in our gardens 
since the earliest period in which we have any record of them. It is mentioned by Gerard, and all the early 
writers on plants. It derives its popular English name from L’Obel, a native of Flanders, who was botanist to 
James I. In L’Obel’s great work on plants, the Adversaria , published in London in 1570, he describes this 
plant as a kind of Muscipula , or Catch-fly; and as it differs considerably in general appearance from the true 
Catch-fly ( Silene Muscipula ), which had been previously described by Clusius, it was called L’Obel’s Catchfly, 
in order to distinguish it. It is a native of France and Switzerland, and has been found occasionally in 
England, on the banks of fields, or on old walls. Its culture is very simple ; as the seeds will come up, and the 
plants flower well, in almost every kind of soil and situation. The seed is produce?! in great abundance, and if 
allowed to ripen on the plant it will sow itself. Like all other flowers this species will, however, be improved 
by being sown carefully as directed for Flos Adonis (see p. 3), and thinned out when the plants come up. 
8.—SILENE QUINQUEVULNERA, Lin. THE FIVE-WOUNDED CATCH-FLY. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot. t. 86, and our fig. ], in Plate 19. with short teeth. Petals roundish, entire, with bicuspidate append- 
Specific Character. —Pubescent, viscid. Stems branched. Leaves ages.—(G. Don.) 
lanceolate, lower ones obtuse. Spike secund. Calyx very villous, 
Description, &c.— The flowers of this species, though small, are very pretty, from the dark crimson spot 
in the centre of each petal. The plant is a native of England, and other parts of Europe, and was formerly a 
very favourite flower in English gardens. It is now comparatively neglected ; but might still be introduced 
occasionally, with very good effect. The culture should be the same as that of the other species. 
OTHER KINDS OF SILENE. 
1.—S. RUBELLA, Lin. 
This is a smooth glaucous plant, with rose-coloured flowers ; a native of Portugal and the Levant; 
introduced in 1732. 
S. CARNOSA, Mccnch. 
A very pretty species, the flowers of which are purple, bordered with white. It is not known of what 
country it is a native; but it first appeared in English gardens about 1823. 
S. CONICA, Lin. 
A plant with red flowers, growing wild in England. S. Conoidea , Lin., is supposed by some botanists to 
be a variety of this species; and there are several other kinds very nearly allied to it. 
S. ANGLICA, Lin. 
This kind is very hairy and viscid. It has white petals, occasionally marked with a red spot in each, like 
those of S. quinquevulnera. It is a native of England and France, and is very common in corn-fields on a 
gravelly or sandy soil. 
